Schneider Electric : Starting My Career in the Supply Chain Development Program

From Schneider Development Program Trainee in the Mexico Supply Chain to Customer Satisfaction & Quality Senior Manager in the US

I first heard about the Schneider Electric Development Program at a job fair at my university. The program was just starting in Mexico, but I was immediately drawn to Schneider's sustainability vision and strong focus on early career talent acceleration. Right on that day, I knew I wanted to work for Schneider Electric and join their Development Program. I was too young and not at all close to graduate, so I applied for an internship first at one of the plants. I was studying industrial engineering and working at a manufacturing plant was super exciting. When I finished my internship, I got a full-time offer as a production supervisor. To this day that role has been one of the roles I value the most. It was a great learning experience and yes, it was tough and challenging!

Development Program 2012-2013

A few months after I finally made it to the Schneider Development Program. I moved 1,800 miles from home to the Tijuana plant in Mexico for my 1^st year in the program. The two rotations were manufacturing oriented, literally working on the shop floor with welding equipment, assembly lines, efficiency, kaizen, you name it! I still remember my first day at the plant after completing the training. It was 7 am, I got a little notebook and my manager said 'Welcome! We have a machine down let's go see how you are going to fix it' I was freaking out inside - 'Line is Down', gulp! Reflecting, that is one of the reasons why I loved the program. It always pushed me to give my best and learn fast. I ended up enjoying working with machines and successfully reducing downtime. Being in the program, you only have 6 months to know the role, set up your network, and close projects before you move on to the next roller coaster so it sets up your mind to be very agile and manage time and priorities well. Connecting with other graduates was great. They were my support system and we had fun all living similar experiences.

I finished my 1st year and moved to Monterrey, Mexico. It's crazy but after one year I was mentally ready and prepared to pack and go again. In my first 6 months, I worked procurement and the last 6 months customer order entry. Overall, the program really gave me a wide scope to learn upstream, downstream, and manufacturing all wrapped in 2 years. I also got to meet great people nationally and internationally and learned a lot about how big Schneider Electric is.

Creating a strong network through the program and the different roles that followed was instrumental for my last 2 roles. I joined the Customer Satisfaction and Quality organization almost 3 years ago and was challenged to drive a regional transformation to reduce damage in transit and improve the delivery experience for customers, based out of the US. Leading change has not been easy but having a broad understanding of Global Supply Chain manufacturing and distribution processes and being able to connect and partner with the front office, work together and communicate effectively with different stakeholders including customers themselves have helped a lot to manage the exciting transformation we are having in the team. My challenge remains to continue to energize the cross-functional teams I work with to continue to put #CustomerFirst.

I am celebrating my 10 year anniversary with Schneider Electric in May 2021. Reflecting on this great experience and how it's been, I can only say it really all took off when I joined the program. If you are thinking about joining or want to know more about the program, here are my 5 reasons why I recommend the Schneider Electric Development program.

1. Accelerated learning experience. The program tests your adaptability and agility on many levels both personally and professionally but as you go through the challenges you come out stronger and better prepared for future roles. I really learned how to keep my energy and positive mindset in changing environments.
2. #SEGreatPeople. Rotations, cities, and network sessions that are integrated into the program help you connect with a lot of people, always willing to share their experiences, a laugh, or even a coffee! Being part of this program creates a special bond between graduates. To this date, I am still close friends with many graduates and we often reach out for advice.
3. Early career exposure to leaders. The program fosters a lot of interactions with leaders in the organization. You get privileged access to their knowledge, their vision, and their expectations. They are always open, very humble, and will challenge you to deliver the best results.
4. Career is intentional and it's yours. One thing I really value about the program was getting to know more about the company and the different paths you can take. Schneider is a big promoter of empowering employees and owning your development and provides a lot of tools to do it. The program is a great way to help you find what excites you the most.
5. Schneider Culture. Schneider's core values, diversity, equity and inclusion, digital transformations, and vision for the future make you feel proud to work at such a great company. Joining through the Schneider Development Program is just the cherry on top.

If you're looking to start and advance your career in global supply chain, check out our careers on our website www.se.com/students

Ana is CS&Q Sr Manager for Logistics leading distribution and transportation quality strategy for North America with a strong focus on customer experience transformation. Originally from Mexico, she started her career as an intern before joining as a full-time employee. She joined the Schneider Development Program and since then, she has held different roles in Global Supply Chain of increasing responsibility. Procurement, Project Management, and Customer Satisfaction are some of the areas she has worked in. She is currently located in El Paso, TX, and likes to take long hikes with her dog to unwind and recharge.

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